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Obama's comments appear in a new video supporting Gavin Newsom's Proposition 50 which would allow the California legislature to draw new congressional boundaries ahead of the midterms

Barack Obama has entered the political fray ahead of November's special election in California, accusing Republicans of attempting to "rig the next election" in a new ad backing Governor Gavin Newsom's Proposition 50, a ballot measure that could reshape the state's congressional map.

"Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years," Obama says in the 30-second ad, urging voters to approve the proposal. "You can stop Republicans in their tracks."

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[–] TipsyMcGee@lemmy.dbzer0.com 27 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

All this astrofurfing and campaigning for Newsom is just a proactive effort to preempt any radical voices from gaining traction from the anti-Trump momentum. That’s the top of their agenda right now, institutional integrity and democracy is at best second.

[–] pahlimur@lemmy.world 12 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

This is a great example of "the left" being manipulated to turn on itself. Newsom ain't great but he is better than anything my former party Republicans put forth. If he makes it through the primaries, please for the love of Satan vote for him in the general. If Republicans win again it's completely over. If I were still one I'd be completely OK with so many worse things happening. Be more scared of what is yet to come than a groveling centrist like Newsom.

[–] EldenLord@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

You both can be right with these seemingly opposed stances. Doesn‘t matter actually, all that matters is that the left is divided and the right isn‘t. That‘s all it takes for evil to win.

Change that!

[–] pahlimur@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

This is my point reiterated. I don't like newsom either, but i would vote for him 1x10^100 if he were the candidate in the general. The "he is being normalized" shit is why the left loses all the time. Complain about him, but don't assume enough centrists wont vote for him in the primaries for him to be the general candidate. I'm tired of people not voting, then bitching about the current administration.

[–] M1ch431@slrpnk.net 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

This is a great example of “the left” being manipulated to turn on itself.

Yeah, Obama is dividing the left with another power play. People don't want Newsom for a number of reasons. People want to vote for an actual leader who has principles.

[–] pahlimur@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Vote for him in the general regardless. Why is this so hard? Vote in the primary and show up in the general. Our voting system is so simple.

[–] M1ch431@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I couldn't vote for Bernie Sanders in the 2020 primary because of Obama's power play. Convincing effectively all candidates to drop out and endorse Biden was election interference.

Our voting system is already rigged and the person warning that Republicans are rigging the next election is responsible, in part.

[–] Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz -2 points 2 weeks ago

Nah, that just encourages them to ratfuck progressives. I am not voting for Newsom in the general.

[–] Maeve@midwest.social 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] pahlimur@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

And? Of course they are going to do this shit. Good people don't rise against great evil, sort of evil people use it to slither into power.

[–] 100_kg_90_de_belin@feddit.it 0 points 2 weeks ago

Newsom, the Zionist guy who likes destroying homeless people's encampements for PR ain't "great". That's quite an understatement.

[–] Tinidril@midwest.social -5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Newsom would be Trump if he lived in Texas. If he is the Democratic nominee in 2028 then I personally am giving up on politics. I've been fighting for a better Democratic party for 40 years, and after all that they are worse than the Republicans were when I started. No, fuck that. Newsom would be the last straw for me. If he gets the nomination, there is no saving the country anyways.

[–] pahlimur@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

If I see you headed on a train to the camps I'll make sure go give you a thumbs up while you roll by. Giving up is pathetic. Go dig your grave and don't complain when they come for you.

[–] Tinidril@midwest.social -2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Has 40 years of supporting corrupt Democrats saved us from the camps? It sure doesn't look like it to me. Camps are proceeding right on schedule. That's the whole point. At best the camps get put on hold for four years. At worst, they get diversity quotas for the guards.

[–] pahlimur@lemmy.world -1 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Wait, you want to accelerate the camps by 4 years?

[–] Tinidril@midwest.social 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Are you honestly telling me that you expect Newsom would roll back more than some cosmetic fringes of Trump's immigration policy? Biden sure didn't. You think Newsom is going to roll back Palentir and the surveillance state? Not a chance in hell.

[–] pahlimur@lemmy.world -1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Will trump or the next republican do any of this either? You're asking the stupidest question when the answer is staring you in the face.

[–] Tinidril@midwest.social 1 points 2 weeks ago

Did I say I plan to vote for a Republican?

[–] Tinidril@midwest.social -2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Also, to be clear, Newsom would be the worst scenario with diversified guards. If you want a four year pause, nominate Pritzker. If you want to take the country back, don't settle for the first personality MSNBC jiggles in front of your face three years out from the election.

I remember all the uninformed Democratic normie voters creaming themselves over Andrew Cuomo's Covid press conferences where he beat up Trump's response constantly. I kept hearing he could be the one for 2020 until he disgraced himself. Now He's allied with Trump and Trump's Donors, and we can't even get Schumer and Jeffries to support his Democratic opponent. And you think these people fight for you?

Cuomo is Trump in a different package. More than for any other name being thrown around for 2028, so is Newsom. He's a chameleon and a political opportunist. The only thing he hates about Trump is that he wants Trump's chair.

[–] pahlimur@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I will probably go Pritzker in the primary. But again, I'm not dumb enough not to fall in line during the general. I've been doing it since Hillary and regret not voting for Obama both times while I was still a registered republican. All choices on the dem ballot are better than a republican.

[–] Tinidril@midwest.social 0 points 2 weeks ago

I did vote for Obama, through I was a Limbaugh fan in the Bill Clinton era. Maybe I've just had more time to get sick of it than you.

The bigger point is this. We are still three years out from the election and you have limited time for advocacy. Why on earth do you think the best use of your time is to sell lefties on inadequate Democratic representation that might not even get the nomination?

This is the time to either fight Trump, or fight for stronger Democrats in the next election. If Newsom (or Pritzker) gets the nomination then do what you must, but why argue it now? First of all, it just makes the cocktail liberals more smug and less likely to look for someone better, and it makes leftists more frustrated and more likely to defect in the general. This is the gap when the left is supposed to be "allowed" to challenge the establishment. Why make them feel even more rejected by the party? You think you're helping?

[–] pupbiru@aussie.zone 10 points 2 weeks ago

this has little to do with campaigning for newsom… it’s about supporting the counter to republican gerrymandering

you might be right in general, but this is not that context

[–] zenitsu@sh.itjust.works -1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

As if any candidate you would consider radical would have any chance in hell of winning

[–] M1ch431@slrpnk.net 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

would have any chance in hell of winning

...why do you believe that? Kamala was the opposite of radical and lost horribly to Trump.

If anything, it's worth trying to run on something progressive or otherwise substantive, since running on status quo policies doesn't seem to be working.

[–] zenitsu@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Kamala was the opposite of radical

She wasn't portrayed/perceived that way at all, you understand that right? You and everyone else with some political awareness might think that, but the magats and even a shitload of "centrists" (quotes because most have been captured by the magats without being aware) think she was radical.

...why do you believe that?

E.g. Bernie. The most milquetoast "radical" tested

America only has an appetite for far right radicals atm, clearly.

[–] M1ch431@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

She wasn’t portrayed that way at all, you understand that right?

Everybody knows that those on the far-right drip are trained to think everybody to the left of them (even a little bit) is a radical.

Liberal mainstream media did not portray her that way at all.

even a shitload of “centrists” (quotes because most have been captured by the magats without being aware) think she was radical.

You're likely referring to old-school Republicans/conservatives, and they either didn't vote (because they are disenfranchised) or voted Trump, yes. Some may have voted Kamala, but not as much as she might have hoped (given her strategy to shift right).

A significant amount of people don't vote in this country and the Democrats aren't interested in capturing that demographic, nor are they interested in capturing progressive or leftist voters.

...and because they aren't trying to appeal to anyone besides people who absolutely cannot abide by Trump, they lost and will likely continue to lose in the big elections if they don't run on something to attract voters.

E.g. Bernie.

Who never got a chance in a general election because he got ratfucked 2x in a row by the Democratic Party et. al.

The most milquetoast “radical” tested

Bernie is the lesser evil here - he's milquetoast, but not as milquetoast as e.g. Kamala, Biden, and Obama are to their corporate donors.

Bernie was a good sport, but he has principles he stands by and that's more than those folks could say now.

[–] zenitsu@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Who never got a chance in a general election because he got ratfucked 2x in a row by the Democratic Party et. al.

This is just major debunked cope. People seem to forget, but when Trump ran for the first time, the whole "establishment" hated him, both left and right. Hell, even the heritage foundation didn't want him. Until he got too big to ignore, he won through sheer brute force popularity. Bernie just lost the primaries to Hillary...if you think America has any capability right now to see anyone to the left of Bernie in power, you're just delusional.

Current America would rather take an old bumbling corrupt criminal rapist(pedo too?) brainlet instead of a qualified intelligent prosecutor/AG because a woman of colour is a bit too much. Don't make the mistake of thinking your niche is anywhere near the norm.

[–] M1ch431@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

This is just major debunked cope.

The top brass in the DNC literally resigned due to their actions behind closed doors in 2016. Inform yourself.

And at the same time, Hillary's campaign and the DNC created Trump and elevated him to be a leader of the pack as a pied piper candidate, as confirmed by the verified, leaked emails from her campaign. They thought it would've been an easy win against him and even told the media to take him seriously. Cocky.

because a woman of colour is a bit too much.

Which is cope. She lost because she wasn't real, among numerous other real reasons like only running on not being Trump and running on the same sweet-nothings as the prior administration + a few goodies that were lukewarm, at best.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking your niche is anywhere near the norm.

It's not a mistake, I'm seeing through the propaganda that you are trying to spin as the one true reality... and a growing amount of Americans are seeing through it too.

News flash, media and partisan politics aren't reflective of the actual reality and people are tuning out of that bullshit. The bullshit doesn't get an overwhelming majority of Americans to come to the voting booths and that's evidence enough for me.

[–] zenitsu@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] M1ch431@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Don't believe your lived experience and lying eyes, Vox disagrees!

You do realize there are essentially no facts or good faith argumentation present throughout this paywalled abomination to support their premise and conclusion?

I thought this was going to be a bombshell that was going to rock my world, but that was just more smug gaslighting that doesn't fairly address or even present almost any of the relevant context, facts, or arguments made by those paying attention.

Democracy certainly isn't alive in the Democratic party and there's no amount of partisan slop that can convince me otherwise.

[–] zenitsu@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Maybe link sources like I'm doing. Cuz all I see is crying and coping. I'm sure that the wapo also failed to see what a random on lemmy sees so clearly...

[–] M1ch431@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I’m sure that the wapo also failed to see what a random on lemmy sees so clearly…

Yeah, I'm definitely sure Jeff Bezo's outlet is doing fair and accurate reporting too.

I wasn't a rabid Bernie supporter, but honestly when contrasted with you it might seem it. I'm only interested in the truth and it rarely can be found in mainstream media, especially in regards to subjects like these. Your "sources" are opinion pieces.

From your "source":

None of the thousands of leaked emails and documents show the DNC significantly influencing the results of the nomination.

It's naive to assume that the emails revealed the whole story. The resignations of top DNC officials surrounding the primary shows the guilt - and it wasn't just the DNC meddling. As evidenced by the DNC memo that was leaked, they definitely strong-armed the media to take Trump seriously; I wouldn't be surprised if the smears and constant negative coverage of Bernie also came from them (if only in some part) with their bias towards Hillary on their sleeve.

I'm disengaging here - you are free to disagree with my perspective, just as I am going to disagree with your opinion pieces. I highly doubt I could convince somebody who takes liberal media as gospel.

My suggestion for you: think for yourself and consider all perspectives before forming beliefs.

[–] zenitsu@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I'm disengaging here - you are free to disagree with my perspective

Must be hard having no evidence for your claims. Keep living in fantasy land.

[–] M1ch431@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

What's your evidence? Liberal media telling you what to believe with weak, one-sided arguments and some cherry-picked facts sprinkled in to twist the narrative?

There very likely would be concrete evidence if Bernie contested the primaries, but he didn't. He endorsed the winners and went the extra mile for them. There were essentially no investigations. The DNC argued in court that they don't have an obligation to follow their rules and the court found that they were unfair to voters, which is a gross understatement.

Whatever, have a good one. This is my last response. Call it cope, but I'm not crying over Bernie's loss. My general point was that progressives have popular policies before they get ratfucked from all sides, are smeared, are said to be unelectable, and receive waves of negative (if not hostile) coverage to shape opinion - if they receive coverage at all. Again, you are free to disagree and believe that partisan media bubbles are reflective of reality.